Providing a realistic experience to wildlife
Today a Lark Sparrow was found at the entrance to the ferry. When I arrived, it was feeding in the grass right off the walking path. I was only able to watch it for a few minutes and then a person walking flushed it. It flew across the street, and I lost it. I scanned the across the street with my binoculars but couldn’t find it. By the evening, it was relocated in the same general area. Photos below are from the brief time watching it feed. Enjoy!
A great way to kick off the warbler season, with a Yellow-throated Warbler! The next four weeks warblers will be increasing each day in the Milwaukee area and it’s always nice to see some rare ones to the state. This bird was found hopping around a mulch pile, just off a walking path, that crossed the road. I walked right up to path and sat on the ground. The bird paid no attention to me, while it fed continuously on insects the entire time I was there. I sat and watched it for about 45 minutes. Such a beautiful bird and even better to have a chance to view it at extremely close distances. After I left, I was told that an American Kestrel attacked it, narrowly missing it. After that, it flew towards the pond and was seen near the steps leading to the water. As of 5pm, I heard it had disappeared. Hopefully it will stick around for others to see as well. Good luck if you try for it! Photos below are from early this afternoon. Enjoy!
* Update * As of 8:33am 4/21, it is currently being seen at the mulch pile again. Here is a pin location on Google maps if you are interested in seeing it. Good luck! https://maps.app.goo.gl/LL5aJWS5SUTun4odA
* Update * Still being seen all day, Saturday 4/23, at the map link provided in first update. Good luck!
Yesterday afternoon there was a beautiful male Northern Pintail at the yacht club. He was hanging out with 50 or so Mallards and 4 American Black Ducks, near the boat launch. This was the best view of a male that I ever had. So close and really tame! If someone would walk past or drive by, he swam out a little bit, but always came right back to the shore. I just wish I would’ve had some sunlight for the photos. I sat in my truck and watched the ducks for a little over and hour. Spring migration is definitely underway, with new birds arriving daily. Pictures are from the afternoon. Enjoy!
These owls are very hard to find and blend in with their surroundings incredibly well. You can be looking right at them and not see them. They are nocturnal and sleep during the day. Consistent activity around a roosting site can cause them to expend too much energy that is needed for the nightly hunting. If you ever stumble across a roost, please use discretion and proper etiquette. That being said, they are very approachable (within reason) and will let you know if you are too close based on their facial expressions. I will try to show you the various stages that they show you, with the 4 owls at this particular roost, in the following pictures:
Notice that they might look at you, but their eyes are mostly closed. They still watch their surroundings, in case of any potential threats, but are fine with your presence. They will most likely go back to sleep, but you should keep your distance.
Notice how their eyes are mostly open. They are intent on watching you, to make sure you are not a threat to them. At this point you should move away slowly and give them their space, so they can return to sleeping.
Notice their eyes are wide open and they consider you an immediate threat. If you end up at this point, try to move away very slow and quietly. Failure to do so will most likely end up in flushing one or more from the roost.
A Tufted Duck was found on Sunday 12/26, at the Hoan Bridge Harbor/Petroleum Pier in Milwaukee. It was still present as of today, 1/1. This bird has been enjoyed my many people from different states. I think it will be the third state record. Unfortunately, it’s usually far out and a scope is needed for good looks at it. I’m only 15 minutes away from the area and had off of work last week, so I was able to check every day for it. Finally, yesterday morning it came rather close when moving from the South end to the North end. I was able to get fairly decent photos of it. Of course, the sun was nonexistent for most of the week, so lighting was terrible which is typical for winter in Wisconsin. It’s nice that it stuck around for people to see, and it seems like it will be here for a while, as long as there is open water. I’m sure most people have seen it that wanted too, if not, good luck if you try for it! Photos below are from the week. Enjoy!
* Help to view the Tufted Duck… There are 3 access points underneath the Hoan Bridge. The southern one is usually locked. The middle one is usually open and gives you access to 75% of the area. The Northern one is right in front of the Petroleum Pier and gives you access to the last 25%. The Tufted Duck prefers to hang around the pier area, sometimes going on the north side of it, with very little view and no access. I have seen the duck on the southern end twice, so they all move around. It’s usually 100-200 yards out.
There has been a Red-necked Grebe in the Milwaukee Harbor the last couple days. It has been seen north, near Lakeshore State Park and south into the river mouth. Today I spent a few hours starting at sunrise and never saw it. Right away, a tug boat went down the river, which didn’t help. There were a couple hundred mergansers, that all took flight and scattered. It’s possible that it was in or near that group early on. Then it was reported near the lighthouse around 11am, go figure. I went back down there and it was starting to head up the river mouth, by the time I arrived. I watched it for about 45 minutes and it was moving slowly west. When I left, it was around the first bend, heading south towards Jones Island. The one that came through in January of ’20 was in winter plumage, but this one is near breeding plumage. It is a very pretty bird! Pictures below are from the late morning. Enjoy!
I was out chasing warblers at Warnimont Park yesterday evening, when I saw an eBird hourly report of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Milwaukee. The location was inaccurate and the only details were “along the lakefront”. Since I had only 14 warbler species and it was rather slow for songbirds, I decided to head down to LSSP, and see if that was the location for it. On my way, photos were posted of the buffy and it sure appeared to be LSSP. When I arrived behind the Summerfest grounds, I could see people on the beach and a dog in the water, which is a terrible combo for shorebirds! I looked through my binoculars and could see a bird along the waters edge. I walked out and got to the beach, the bird had just flown from the other side, to right in front of me, how convenient! The sun was setting and the lighting was terrible. I tried to position myself to better the light, but it really wasn’t possible. I got setup and started taking photos. I immediately knew this was NOT a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, but rather a Baird’s Sandpiper. Sometime in the hour and a half from original sighting to me getting there, the buffy left and was replaced by a Baird’s. I was ok with that, because I did not have one for the county on the year. The bird was extremely tame, like most sandpipers, if you sit still around them. I watched it feed for about 30 minutes. A Green Heron also came flying in and walked around the beach for a little while. At one point, it seemed like it was going to chase the Baird’s. The Baird’s ran around him and I had to stand up, which flushed the heron across the water. Towards the end of viewing, a few friends joined and it was nice to chat for a little while. It was a beautiful evening with a spectacular sunset. Enjoy!
I received a text this afternoon, there was a Black-bellied Plover at LSSP. I didn’t go at first, but then realized I did not have one for the year. I got down there just before 5pm. I walked out to the beach area and couldn’t find it. I thought I missed out. Then I saw movement right by the two signs in the middle of the beach, close to the water. It was using them as cover. I guess I had never seen that before down there, so I wasn’t expecting it. I walked close to the water and sat on the ground. It was casually walking around and feeding, moving slowly. This was a hatch year bird and for probably never seeing people before, was really tame. It walked right up to me, as close as six feet! At the same time a young Great Blue Heron landed fairly close and walked right past me in the water. It’s crazy how close those two birds were from me! I just sat there, didn’t move and watched them, as they were too close for photos. I watched the plover for about 30 minutes. It didn’t do much or move too far, but would occasionally pick in the pebbles for food. Summerfest was going on and there was a lot of loud music coming from all around. Surprisingly, it didn’t seem too bothered by any of it. Another cool bird for the day. Enjoy!
I started my day a McKinley Beach, just passed sunrise. I was hoping to see a Baird’s Sandpiper, as a few had been seen the previous days. However, there were only Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers, to be found. My next stop was Bradford Beach. I parked in the lot on the south end, looked through my binoculars and didn’t see anything. I sent out a text about nothing on the beach and received one back that there were a few Sanderlings on the far northern end, along with a slightly larger one, that was buffy toned. I had a feeling of what it was, so I drove to the other side and parked. I just took my binoculars with me, instead of lugging my camera to confirm and sure enough it was a Red Knot! I quickly went back to the car and grabbed my camera (should’ve just brought it right away). I walked out to water and sat on a rock. It was kind of working its way to the south, so I just waited. There were plenty of joggers, walkers and dog, that I knew it would be moving around quite a bit. After 20 minutes or so, there were several of us watching now, it flew right in to us with some Sanderlings. It was probably only 30′ away, and coming towards us. There were also 36 Sanderlings running around too, with some of them coming closer then ten feet. Eventually, the Red Knot came that close as well, so close that it was below my minimum focus distance (14.75′)! Always fun when the shorebirds walk right up to everyone. The beach was very busy this morning and I don’t think the bird was seen past 840ish. It was nice to have a day off and see a rare bird! Pictures below are from this morning. Enjoy!
This spring has been excellent for Mourning Warblers, in Milwaukee. Just the last week alone, I have had no less than 4 at any park I go to. These are one of my favorite warblers and I love when we have years like this! In normal years you just go sit by the logjam at Whitnall Park, and wait to see them come hopping through. Since we can’t do that anymore, I thought it would be tough to get good looks at any, especially with the leaf out weeks early. That hasn’t been the case though. It’s almost like I’ve been spoiled by them. Lake Park has been incredible for Mourning Warblers! A couple of days there, I had at least 6. They can usually be found foraging on the sides of the ravines. Warnimont Park was also very good and Whitnall Park had a few, along the creek on the north side of the park, away from the Wehr Nature Center. Pictures below are from the last couple weeks, in Milwaukee County. Enjoy!
